The Crossroads' Divergence
by Rogue-Mando
Summary: Harry Potter, Head Auror and proud father, has been slain. His death leads him to a realm dubbed the Crossroads. There, he will find that the title 'Master of Death' is not just a myth. As he stands at the Cross, Mr. Potter must decide which direction he wishes to take his life. This story is a set up for future works and is complete how it is. Sequels to be posted at a later date.
1. The Crossroads Diverge

**AN: I do not own Harry Potter or any subsequent works.**

My name is Harry Potter. In my life I have been known as many things, such as: Head Auror, Father, Husband, the Boy-Who-Lived, Triwizard Champion, the Man-Who-Conquered, an Animagus, and, most recently, dying. Stabbed at the age of forty-one on King's Cross platform Nine and Three Quarters at an old schoolmate's hand.

Burning, that's the only thing I'm aware of at the moment. That awful, terrible burning spreading through my chest and down into my stomach. I barely feel the blade jutting out of my side as pain washes over me like an avalanche. This is on the level of basilisk venom but _much _more intense. My body seizes on me but I'm almost completely aware of every sight around me through a crimson haze but everyone's voices sound a thousand miles away.

"_...Nundu venom…" "...Lacerated…" "...utting dow…" "...Mungo's…" "...won't…" _is all I manage to hear. Hard to think that I lived through so much shit that something as mundane as a knife to the chest - even an obviously poisoned one - would be my end? Every year I make sure I'm here to see off the kids to the train but obviously my carelessness was the end of me. I was stabbed in the chest but an infuriated Ice Princess. Her sister, Daphne Greengrass, was in my year and went onto make a name for herself as a muggle and magical solicitor at law with her husband Theodore Nott, their children started Hogwarts with my James and Albus. Theodore, for all his faults, adores his children and Astoria dotes on her nephews but she was far beyond reason this time.

The train had just left the station when the woman turned with one smooth, terrifyingly cold motion to bring the knife up and into the side of my chest leading me to where I'm at now. She said four words as she shoved me to the ground before making her way out of the crowd in the stunned silence, the words being _'for Blaise and Draco.' _Clarity washed over me in the split second before the pain registered.

Blaise Zabini, heir to the Zabini crime lords of the Italian magical community and apparently Astoria's lover after I threw Draco's ass in Azkaban for tax evasion. It's a dirty little secret among the community that the more you avoid taxes without getting caught the higher your standing, well… Draco decided to avoid paying them entirely. The Malfoys are the wealthiest house in Great Britain second only to the Blacks (which Albus is now the heir to) and that was immediately noticed. He was sentenced to five years and the end of that isn't for another two, Astoria wasn't very happy with that.

Eventually though, she moved onto a lover to bide her time while Draco was sitting in his cell, Blaise. Now the unfortunate thing about Blaise is that he went onto become a professional assassin and committed dozens, if not hundreds, of murders on Her Majesty's soil and I happened to be the senior Auror to take him down. That case actually was what promoted the higher-ups to promote me to head Auror. Zabini was taken to trial and was the first man to be executed by the Ministry of Magic since the penalty for breaking the Statute of Secrecy was death.

Who would have thought that the Man-Who Conquered would have been taken out by a five-foot-two blonde with a vendetta? I had prepared for nearly every situation that could have erupted but being stabbed certainly wasn't on the list. But then again Hell hath no fury…

So here I am, Harry Potter - He-Who-Overcame, father to James Sirius, Albus Remus [1], and Lily Luna, husband of Ginerva Weasley-Potter, survivor of Slytherin's Basilisk, and slayer of Voldemort - laying in a pool of my own blood while surrounded by loved ones screaming my name.

I gasp instinctually as the blade is ripped from my chest and the only thing I could think was _'why didn't they just leave in?'_

Ginny's tearstained face is inches from mine, her fiery hair shrouding us from the world as she screams at me to stay with her and I want to so badly. To be here for her, for my friends, my _children. _I don't want to leave my children fatherless but the rings on my fingers heat up urgently. I bring them to my lips with a strength of will I didn't know I had.

"I Ha-ri Ja-Jame Po-Pot'r, gi' the' ta Jame Si-UGH-Siri's an' Al Rem's Pot'r. Lo'g ma' dey lib'." [2]

"Harry?" Ginny's panic is radiating off of her.

"Lov' ya' Gin… en' ob da road - AHHHH - fo' me… Te' da ki's I lo-lob 'dem…" [3]

"No… no! Stay with me, Harry!" I feel her slap me gently as my world fades to nothingness.

Nothing.

Black.

Unawareness.

They say there's a light at the end of the tunnel… but there was no tunnel. There was nothing.

"Mr. Potter."

A soft voice cuts through the darkness of my aware non-existence.

"Mr. Potter, rise."

My body jerks upright as my eyes snap open only to find my vision sharpening to the razor's edge with my other senses fall into place right behind. For a split second, I thought that I had gone blind with spots dancing in my eyes until I realized what I was looking at.

Stars.

Billions upon Trillions against the inky background of the void, the arms of the Milky way shining bright as the edge of eternity looks to be in my grasp. I move to stand up and realize there's nothing holding me upright anyway, my jaw drops when I realize I'm hanging in space.

"Where am I?"

"The Crossroads. Welcome, Mr. Potter, to my abode," the voice comes from nowhere yet everywhere, ringing in my ears like a cannon blast but caressing my skin like a lover.

"Who are you?"

"I am the friend at the end, the ferryman, the lover never seen, the Destroyer of Worlds."

"_I am become Death…" _I whisper into the void.

"Yes. You have forgotten who you are, young Peverell."

The void flashes with light as the stars consolidate overhead in the form of the wand, the cloak, and the stone, the mark of the Deathly Hallows.

"Or, should I say, my Master?"

"Just Harry, please…"

"Oh, mister Potter, your lineage shall never allow you to be something so asinine. Your family has been touched by greatness, you are the descendant and the pinnacle of the Brothers Three. Your lineage is that of denial incarnate. Antioch denied defeat and lost everything, Cadmus denied Me and was denied that which he held dearest, Ignotus denied denial itself and gained the greatness and the life his brothers strove for. You, my dear Peverell, have spent your life denying greatness and in return you have been the greatest wizard since Myrddin Emrys of Camelot. You did not deny me in the forest, Thomas Riddle did all his life and lost his eternity in the process - but you brought together the hallows of the Brothers Three in the process but did not wish for them. You denied my power and in the process gained a way to live again."

Hope swells in my chest, burning almost as badly as the dagger did.

"I… I can go back?"

"No."

My hope was crushed with the ferocity of a charging Horntail.

"Why…"

"You are my master. By giving up the power and welcoming me as a friend you gained the title truly. I could offer you no rest as I can not accept you nor can I send you back to your body as you no longer have one waiting for you," ice creeps down my spine with the comment.

"What do you mean I don't have a body?"

"The dagger you were stabbed with was cursed and tainted by the magic of the dagger and the venom it was coated in," the voice almost sounds remorseful.

"What the _fuck _did Astoria stab me with?" I ask as the blood floods away from my face.

"Nundu venom consecrated in Thestral blood, sanctified with basilisk venom, and tainted in the heart of a Dementor, the poison was designed to kill in a split second but you managed to survive for thirty seconds Mr. Potter," the voice sounds strangely proud.

I feel my jaw drop open as I struggle to regain control over my body. After a brief, stunned silence I ask, "the blade was forged in the way of the Goblins?"

"Iron fired with dragon bone while spells are being sung over the process. The dagger was not enchanted, it was cursed. The blade was forged in a dark volcano with the fang of the basilisk _you _slew and quenched in the blood of seven babes - mage, elf, goblin, centaur, merfolk, phoenix, and a nonmagical human."

My eyes bug out at just what that means. The reason why the blood of a virgin is used in so many dark rituals is that it signifies the girl is untouched from the darkness of the world, a babe has not seen the world at all, thus they are the embodiment of the light. Dark rituals are strongest when perverting the brightest light.

"Thus, your body can no longer host life, the tears of a phoenix could not repair the damage wrought unto your body. I apologize, this is a crossroads in which the only direction you cannot go is back."

"Then what about my wife!? My children!?" I scream into the void, the pain of losing them is like someone's holding a live wire to my very soul, "my children fatherless, my wife a widow!? Why!?"

"Harry, _you, _of all people, are asking _why _the universe is against you?"

The question is sharp and incredulous, just enough to get me to stop my unstarted rant before it can begin.

"You're right," I slump in on myself.

"You got to say goodbye to _all _of your children and your wife, Harry," Death's voice is quiet yet comforting in a way I never thought it could, "it is an opportunity some would die again for and you had it, take comfort in that."

I don't acknowledge her words verbally, choosing to instead look up at the insignia burning above me while whispering prayers to Merlin, Morgana, Mother Magic, and any other god I could think of to watch over my babies and Ginny.

"What's your offer?" I ask in a broken whisper.

"We're at the Crossroads, Harry," the voice whispers, "you may go forward to a new life among the people of Alagaesia," a blue ball of fire descends from the pulsing insignia above me to create a glowing silver portal ringed in blue, "beware, young Peverell, that through this gate lies a land on the brink of falling to a tyrant who's power eclipses and surpasses Tom Marvolo's own. His strength lies in the hearts of the dragons and in his mind, his name is Galbatorix. Be wary. The next," a ball of golden fire parts and repeats the process the blue portal did, "will guide you to the realm of Westeros where an army of Death and Ice march while the lords of the land squabble in their castles content to believe they are safe behind their walls."

A bolt of fire that's constantly shifting between red, blue, white, and green create the next mirror, "this portal will take you to a land where the world is at war. The magic of this world is based on the elements in Earth, Water, Air, and Fire, for one hundred years war has raged over this land. If you choose to enter this portal you will be on the front lines of this war," the insignia sparks one last time as a bolt of silver light flash to a place behind me, "this is the gateway to the Stars. This gate will find you in the middle of a conflict between a Galactic Empire and a rebellion against them, the Galactic Empire is controlled by a self-proclaimed Dark Lord of the Sith. In terms of sheer power, he is Tom Marvolo's lesser by an order of magnitude if not more. You will be able to crush him under heel in a head-on confrontation, but his armies outnumber the population of your world and you would have to fight to get to him."

I blink at the options, "anything else I should know?"

The voice of death chuckles at the question, "the wand, the stone, and the cloak shall be with you and your body will be renewed to seventeen years of age. Now, you must choose your path, young Peverell."

With a deep breath in I nod and make my choice.

**AN: **

**[1] Does anyone else hate the name 'Albus Severus' in Canon? Cause I do and am changing the fuck out of that. **

**[2] "I, Harry James Potter, give these to James Sirius and Albus Remus Potter. Long may they live."**

**[3] Love you Gin. End of the road for me. Tell the kids I love them.**

**Hey guys, I've been thinking of a way to have a not super OP'ed Harry go into a few stories I want and I though of this. This story will have four **_**separate **_**'sequels' if you can call them that. I love Eragon, PJO, ATLA, and Star Wars and y'all already know about most of my works and thought this might be a fun project to work on in some of my spare time. **

**Keep an eye out for the follow ups to this story, warning: I probably will not post those for quite some time. Thank you for reading! **


	2. Astoria's Fate

**I do not own anything from Harry Potter…**

"Astoria Malfoy, you have been charged with murder most foul against a hero of Wizarding Britain, an Auror Captain, and a man who was beloved by all of Britain. How do you answer these charges?"

'_How did they catch me, when did they catch me!?' _

"Should you not answer, you will be tried in your silence. It is your right to have a trial by Veritaserum or if you deny that, the prosecution shall present evidence against you. In the event of your silence, we shall go over the evidence. You have thirty seconds to answer, Miss Greengrass."

My eyes lock with the woman behind the stand and I nearly fall out of my seat, _'Daphne!? I knew she was a rising star in the Wizengamot but to be presiding over _my _case? Oh… It's so bad that they asked the _most _biased party to judge me didn't they?'_

"What would happen should I plead guilty?" I whisper, but the entire room heard it.

"Then you would be tried by Veritaserum to determine the cause of death for one Harry James Potter, Head of the Auror department," Daphne's face may well have been made out of ice.

I blink a few times at what she's not saying, _'what's the punishment? She didn't say, why didn't she say!?' _I'm nearly panicking in my seat as Daphne calls down, "Your time is up, Madam Malfoy. I ask you again, how do you answer these charges?"

I stay silent, let the damned Wizengamot figure out what was on that knife. Only the Zabini family could possibly know.

Daphne sighs and pinches her nose, "on your head be it," my jaw nearly falls open, those were the same words they gave to Blaise at his sentencing.

"We have asked every council in Great Britain to defend you in this case… _all _have denied this - quite vehemently. If there are any who would defend Madam Malfoy, please step for-"

"What will happen to my son?" I cut Daphne off.

"Pardon?"

"What will happen to my son, I'm to be executed? Am I not?" The courtroom is absolutely silent.

Daphne hesitates briefly but nods, "Theodore and I, Daphne Nott, shall take one Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy to be raised alongside our own children until his father, current Azkaban inmate 433127 - Draco Malfoy, is released from his legal imprisonment. Do you wish to make a plea?"

"She's had enough chances!" A voice called down from the balcony.

"Silence!" Daphne roars, "I will have order in this court!"

"Aye," I say quietly, "I plea guilty."

Daphne's head sags, "I wish you hadn't said that my dearest sister," and I feel ice run down my spine, "Auror Finnegan!"

"Yes, Acting Chief-Witch Nott?" Seamus Finnegan asks.

"Three drops, no more," Daphne almost whispers.

"Aye, your honor," the man says with a vicious grin. The man steps up to me, all the while glaring down with hate blazing in his spiteful brown eyes. He kneels down to my level, prying my jaw open as he takes a small crystal vile form his red robes, "he was my friend, you bitch," the man growls in a low whisper only I can hear before he poured the entirety of the vile down my throat. I have a brief second of panic before the poison takes over my mind. _'No! I can fight three drops! He can't do this to me!/_

"The potion has been administered in accordance with the laws of this court and Her Majesty's United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of Merlin and Arthur's Avalon," he turns back to me, "May God and Magic have mercy on your shriveled soul."

"Enough, Auror Finnegan!" I struggle against the potion, bringing all of my occlumency to bear but it's no use, "the prosecution shall take charge of the questioning. Barrister Granger, the floor is yours." If I could have panicked I would have, _'Hermoine Weasley-Granger is the lead on this case? I'd have been fucked no matter what happened, probably why no one would take the case. She's always been a genius and a hound when she had to know something, she's going to tear me to shreds - especially after I killed her pseudo-brother. Was killing him really worth _this?'

"Is your name Astoria Malfoy nee Greengrass?"

"It is," I hear myself say against my will.

"Is your husband one Draco Lucius Malfoy?"

"He is," _'Don't answer!'_

"There are rumors that you were lovers to one Blaise Vito Zabini, are there any grounds to these allegations?" the woman's eyes never left mine as she asked the question.

"There are."

"Elaborate," _'is that a smirk!? No! Damn it, Greengrass, FIGHT!'_

"When Potter threw my Draco in Azkaban I was lonely, Blaise was there. I was his and he was mine but we knew that it was temporary," _'no no no this can't be happening!'_

"You were aware of Mr. Zabini's crimes then?" Ice floods my veins, _'please let me heart stop, it would be kinder than what they'll do to me!'_

"I was involved in three of his hits," _'this can't be happening…'_

"Which would those be, Miss Malfoy?" _'This bitch!'_

"The deaths of Jonathon Carlson, Gavin Rowle, and George Weasley," _'Fuck, fuck, FUCK!'_

"Would the court please add accomplice to the murder of the three men mentioned, two counts of accomplice to the murder of two members of the Sacred Twenty-Eight, and adultery to the charges against Madam Malfoy?"

"Aye," no voice was quiet in the halls, _'I'm going to be a goddamn example… No, you killed the Boy-Who-Lived, they'll remember me as worse than You-Know-Who, he never managed to kill their precious savior.'_

"I have no more questions for the accused, your honor," the woman sneers at me.

"Auror Captain Davis," I would have snapped my head up at the familiar name if I could have done anything other than stare off into space. Tracey Davis stood before me and poured another vial down my throat without preamble.

Quickly enough I'm back to my senses and screaming, "NO! I REFUSE TO GO MEEKLY OFF TO DIE! I KILLED POTTER, I DID IT! I KILLED HIM WITH MY BLAISE'S KNIFE, GO CHOKE ON THAT YOU MUDBLOODED BITCH! I WOULD HAVE GLA-" I feel the effects of a silencing curse slam into me cutting off my enraged tirade.

"That is ENOUGH!" Daphne roared from the podium, eyes blazing with fury, "in light of these revelations, I recuse myself from this position and this trial. In the eyes of almighty God and merciful Morgana, I beg mercy for my sister. Interim Chief Witch Potter, the podium is yours." The roar of approval from the Wizengamot is one I had hoped to never hear in my life as the enraged redhead takes her place behind the podium.

'_So we go from one bias to another, damn I should have kept my mouth shut… When was she Chief Witch though!? I thought Marchbanks was the chief!'_

"The charges against you have been heard, there is only one recommendation I can give… Under the Norman law given by William the Conqueror, the only punishment I can give in good conscious would be the blood eagle," I feel myself turn sheet white and even the chamber fell silent at the proclamation, "however, you gave my husband a quick death, a torturous, horrible death but quick all the same... In light of this, I recommend this woman be put to death by the veil, who would deny this?" not a voice was heard. "All who are in favor of Astoria Malfoy's execution by the veil of Death, please raise your wands now."

As one, every wand in the room raised, "There is no doubt. Astoria Malfoy, you are sentenced to walk through the veil of Death in one week from this day. You are to be sent to Azkaban in a cell across from your husband until the day comes. May God have mercy on your soul. Aurors take her away."

I sit there gawking in silence as I'm dragged out of the chamber to await my fate.

**Just a short chapter for those curious what happened to her, I know it's pretty unbelievable as a court case but this is wizarding Britain after all (and very AU).**


End file.
